This section sets the voting and recordation rules for amending a condominium declaration, with special limits for certain changes and lender-protected rights.
(a) Except in cases of amendments that may be executed by a declarant under Section 35-8A-209(f) or 35-8A-210; the association under Section 35-8A-107, 35-8A-206(d), 35-8A-208(c), 35-8A-212(a), or 35-8A-213; or by certain unit owners under Section 35-8A-208(b), 35-8A-212(a), 35-8A-213(b), or 35-8A-218(b), and except as limited by subsection (d), the declaration, including the plats and plans, may be amended only by the affirmative vote or agreement of unit owners of units to which at least two-thirds of the votes in the association are allocated, or any larger majority the declaration specifies. The declaration may specify a smaller number only if all of the units are restricted exclusively to non-residential use. (b) No action to challenge the validity of an amendment adopted by the association pursuant to this section may be brought more than one year after the amendment is recorded. (c) Every amendment to the declaration must be recorded in every county in which any portion of the condominium is located, and is effective only upon recordation. An amendment shall be indexed in the grantee’s index in the name of the condominium and the association and in the grantor’s index in the name of the parties executing the amendment. (d) Except to the extent expressly permitted or required by other provisions of this chapter, no amendment in the absence of unanimous consent of the unit owners may: Create or increase special declarant rights, create or increase the number or identity of units that may be disposed of on a time share basis, increase the number of units; change the boundaries of any unit, the allocated interests of a unit, or the uses to which any unit is restricted. (e) Amendments to the declaration required by this chapter to be recorded by the association shall be prepared, executed, recorded, and certified on behalf of the association by any officer of the association designated for that purpose or, in the absence of designation, by the president of the association. (f) Where a specific right is given a lender, pursuant to Section 35-8A-219 no amendment affecting those rights may be made without the consent of the lender or specified number or percentage thereof as required by the declaration.